Q&A for How to French Kiss

That’s totally up to you and your kissing partner! If you’re both really into it, you might want to keep it going as long as possible. Stop if you start to feel uncomfortable or your partner starts to pull away.

It’s hard to get a feel for French kissing without trying the real deal, but there are things you can do to practice. For example, you can try gently biting or licking your own lip to get a sense of how it would feel to your partner. You can also try curling your thumb and fingers into an “O” shape to simulate lips and practice gently kissing your own hand and exploring the space inside your hand with your tongue.

Your tongue and mouth are full of nerve endings, which means they’re very sensitive. Many people enjoy the sensation of feeling their tongue touch their partner’s tongue. Scientists also think that exchanging saliva helps introduce sex hormones into your partner’s mouth, which makes the experience more arousing.

Pull away for a second once in a while to come up for air.

Push back gently on the other person's shoulders. Smile as you pull away to show that nothing's wrong.

Not really, but younger than 12-13 is usually considered too early by societal norms. That said, everyone grows and develops differently.

Tell them in a gentle but firm voice that you don't want to kiss them. Do not let them sway you. If you need to leave, then leave the room.

Don't worry about it too much. Just start with a little tongue on their lip and see how they respond.

Herpes is most contagious when there are visible sores or blisters on the lower face. Itching or tingling in that area is also a warning sign, but it can be hard to quiz someone on that right before a kiss. Be aware that oral herpes can spread to genitals during oral sex if you don't use a condom or dental dam.